Of Woods and Elves [Ainutsa&Talia]

[Summerchika]

Knee deep in lakey waters was a great way to spend an afternoon, Ainutsa decided. She stood surrounded by playful fish darting here and there, reveling in their friend's presence. She laughed, uncaring of who watched her as she interacted with the fish as if they were on the best of terms. Because, really, they were.

Faolán looked on amusedly from the shadows of the forest, not too far, but not too close. The lake, Ainutsa knew, was oftentimes populated by other people who do not particularly care for the fierceness of Faolán. And she would not have anyone harm her long time friend and wolf-sister.

Ainutsa resisted looking to where Faolán rested in case her gaze drew others to that area, but she silently spoke to her nonetheless. "We must visit here more often, Faolán," she remarked.

"Perhaps in the later hours of the night when not as many people are as likely to venture here," Faolán responded lazily. Then the fish would know my teeth." Ainutsa threw back her head in unbridled mirth at the toothy grin Ainutsa knew Faolán must be sporting now.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia wondered through the woods after finding her new found freedom. She knew that she couldn't slow down too much for fear Kaddock's men were still after her. She stopped to catch her breath against a tree for a moment. She looked down and realized that she had badly tore the dress that Kaddock had her were when they went out. It was from her native land, a teal colored, sleeve-less dress that went to her ankles that was slit up the sides to her upper thighs.

She was lucky that she found the key to the chain that connected to her collar and got the chain off the collar, she didn't want to worry about running with that chain. She reached up to her collar and pulled at it again and still it wouldn't budge. She peered around the tree and seen a stream. She smiled as she walked as fast as she could to the stream. She didn't even notice the young elf playing with the fish when she got there. She reached the river bank's edge and knelt down cupping her hands and drinking the water. She then started to wipe the mud from her exposed legs and arms.

She heard noises up ahead of her and looked up wide eyed, with a hint of fear showing. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were here." She bowed her head low trying not to make eye contact with the other woman. She slowly rose to her feet and absentmindedly brought her right hand up to the collar.

[Summerchika]

Ainutsa had not even noticed the other elf until she spoke to her. "Oh? You are just fine . . ." she replied, her welcoming smile only faltering when she saw the collar around the girl's neck. She had never seen one on a person before; she had only seen them on broken animals tended by humans.

"Ainutsa, there is a disturbance in the forest." Faolán warned, by her side in seconds. A troubled look came upon Ainutsa's features. The appearance of the disturbance and the elf who was collared was not a coincidence.

"You . . . are you alright?" she asked the elf in teal, just now realizing Faolán's sudden appearance may have startled her.

"How far?" Ainutsa asked Faolán as she studied the girl intently.

"Not too close. But a worry, nonetheless." Faolán replied gruffly.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia took a tense step back as she seen the wolf go to the other elf's side. Hearing the other elf offer words of kindness to her made her smile weakly. "For now I am alright. I'm terribly sorry for interrupting you." She dared to bring her gaze up to the other elf's eyes, her purple hues shown fear rippling through them.

Talia's eyes widened in fear when she heard the rustling of foliage behind her, over a few seconds it got louder. She turned to face the sound as two men burst forth from the forest. She stumbled backwards and fell on her bottom on the river bank as her eyes caught one of them carrying the very chain she had taken off earlier.

"Talia! Kaddock was worried about you. You have two options come back willingly or we force your return to your master." One man spoke gruffly as he approached her. "I do apologize if she disturbed you. She does not remember her place too well." He was close enough now that he grabbed her by her wrist and forced her to stand.

Talia tried to free her wrist from the man but to no avail. His grip was like steel around her wrist. Fear laced every word that came out of her mouth, "NO!" She screamed as she jerked her arm back hard trying to free herself. She turned her gaze back to the other elf and her wolf. "Please help me, I can't go back." Tears slid down her cheeks as she pleaded with the other elf for help.

[Summerchika]

If at first Ainutsa was only slightly concerned over the collared elf, the appearance of the two men and their chain made her surprisingly protective of someone she had just met only moments before. So when the elf's pleading eyes met hers and she asked for help, Ainutsa did not have to hear that twice.

Her usually pleasant and open face hardened into a mask of cold fury and she marched over to the man, grabbing the wrist that held the elf captive. With unexpected strength, and no small effort on her part, she broke the grip he had on the terrified girl and stepped between the two purposefully. She placed a gentle hand behind her to push the girl further away from the man. Next to her, Faolán growled dangerously.

"Kindly leave her alone," she said, trying to soften her voice. Ainutsa fought the anger that came from the urge to protect the girl. She didn't like herself when she was angry, and quite frankly, that was for good reason.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia's eyes widened as the other elf grabbed his hand and snapped his grip. As the other elf placed a gentle hand behind herself and pushed back gently, Talia stepped back a few more feet and watched in amazement. No one had really stood up for her. She ran a nervous hand through her long dark hair as she watched the events transpire.

The man looked to the elf, then to her wolf companion, "It appears you've made a friend Talia." He looked to the snarling wolf then back to Talia looking past the other elf. "Kaddock will not be pleased that you didn't come back with us. He will not stop looking for you unless you are dead or at his side where you belong. We will be leaving, but Talia we will come back for you and get you when you least expect it." He scoffed as he turned to his companion and started to walk towards the woods. He turned at the tree line and hollered back at Talia, "Remember Kaddock owns you, he was generous to you, hell even sparred your life and this is how you repay him." He laughed and disappeared into the tree line.

Talia shivered a bit as she watched the man disappear into the trees. She smiled and walked around the elf to be able to face her. Dropping to one knee and bowing her head she spoke, "Thank you so much I am forever in your debt. I am Talia Zang. I don't know how to ever repay you!" She remained kneeling in front of the elf girl waiting for her response.

[Summerchika]

As the left with their malicious words, Ainutsa's eyes narrowed, and Faolán's growl did not abate. The girl faced her and knelt, her gratefulness embarrassing. She waited, taken aback, wondering if this was normal elven behavior. She hesitated to make sure that the girl was finished speaking before she risked interrupting her.

"Ciar," she asked her hawk friend silently, who happened to be miles away at the moment. She quickly sent him images of what happened and then said, "Set up a watch over the two and this Kaddock character. I do not like them." Then she hurriedly knelt down to the elven girl's level.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently, trying to make eye contact with her. "Have they harmed you?"

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia made eye contact with the elf beside her, "I'm alright they have done worse to me." She turned her gaze down to the river bank and had a shameful look cross her face. "As I said Before my name is Talia, Thank you for helping me." She reached up to the collar and tried one more time to try and get the metal to move and release itself but again it didn't budge. "I'm used to being treated like that. I just couldn't go back. I deserve to live a free life like everyone else." She turned to the other elf with question in her eyes, "I do don't I?" She asked looking as if she was confused.

[Summerchika]

The girl's words made Ainutsa's blood run cold, but she tried to hide it with a warm smile. "Of course you do, Talia. Call me Ainutsa." Ainutsa reached a hand toward her to examine the collar around her neck. "Come, let's get that off of you." Faolán sniffed at Talia curiously, then walked back into the woods.

"I'll track the men from her scent," she said simply, and Ainutsa nodded in understanding.

Ainutsa pulled Talia to her feet, then beckoned for her to follow along. Ainutsa made her way to the otherside of the lake, then sat on its bank. She asked the birds in the trees as she went to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings. She was determined to keep Talia away from the men, and in this forest she had the distinct advantage.

"It will be safe," she assured Talia, waiting for her to join Ainutsa on the soft earth. "This very forest will protect you." Ainutsa gestured around them joyfully, trying very hard to put aside the anger she felt toward the men and focus instead on the abused Talia before her.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia followed her across the river and took a seat next to Ainutsa. "It's been a long time since I was treated like this." She smiled at the other elf, "I wish not to be a burden to you. And again thank you for protecting me." She ran her fingers along the collar and looked the Ainutsa, "I don't know if you can get it off, I've tried to get it off with this," She reached into her shoe and produced a key, "I have tried but i can't get it to click over and unlock." A look of despair crossed her face as she handed the key to Ainutsa. "I know it's the right key because Kaddock kept this one close. He said," She mocked his voice as she twisted her face into an expression of an angry constipated old man, "You don't need this key! You have yet to earn your freedom." She unscrunched her face and looked down at her hands, "I did everything that human asked me to and I still didn't deserve freedom." Tears started to form in her eyes and her voice started to break a bit as she spoke. "I was enslaved all because I was 'Exotic' he enslaved me" She emphasized the word exotic as she let the tears go. She raised her hands to her face as she started to cry.

[Summerchika]

When Talia began to cry Ainutsa's eyes widened in surprise. It was not often she dealt with crying--by her or by anyone else. But could she really blame Talia? Had Ainutsa been through what she had been through . . .

"You may not have been through what the teal slave went through, but you have had your own trials." Faolán spoke in her mind, slinking through the trees toward the two elves once more. Ainutsa tilted her head in a silent question. Faolán gave a wolfy shrug as she padded around the muddy bank. Ciar has the men already in his sights. Ainutsa nodded in understanding.

Faolán came up to Talia and sniffed her hair, then odd clothing. "Do not cry, young one. You are safe now." Faolán spoke in Talia's mind. Usually Faolán would not be so bold with anyone other than Ainutsa, but Talia was an elf, after all. Her wolf-sister nudged Talia with her head in an attempt to comfort her.

Ainutsa gently took the key from Talia's hand as Faolán comforted her, in order to study it further. Was an enchantment involved? Or did it simply have to be someone else to unlock it because of the angle?

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia's eyes widened as she heard Faolán speak to her mind. She smiled at the wold then turned back to the other elf as she wiped the tears from her face. "The key, i can't do it alone it's angled wrong and i cant get the key to go in. If you would please help me i would be forever in your debt." She looked down at the ground as she spoke and waited to see what the other elf would do.

[Summerchika]

"Oh is that it? No problem," Ainutsa said, beaming at Talia. Not that she would see her smiling, since her eyes were fixed on the ground. Ainutsa ran her fingers along the outside of the collar and she shivered involuntarily. She hated them on animals and hated them even more on people. She suppressed a growl as she stuck the key into the lock.

A couple clicks ran out as she turned the key and the collar unlocked. She gently took off the collar, then handed it to Talia. "I'll stay with you until that horrid man comes back. Then we will give him hell and put the collar on him instead. What do you think?" she asked, tilting her head and trying to make eye contact with Talia.

"I agree." Faolán spoke to both of the elves. She padded behind Talia and Ainutsa, seemingly to guard their backs in anticipation for his arrival. "I don't think he'll come back that quickly." Ainutsa told Faolán, chuckling.

[Avalon Silvasti]

Talia looked at the other elf and smiled raising a hand to her throat and rubbing it. "I haven't had that off in years, well at least not off while i was outside. Thank you." She smiled brightly and hugged the elf tightly. Tears of Joy sprang from her eyes as she held the other elf, fearing that if she let go that it would just be a fevered dream. "I would like very much to put that collar on Kaddock and leave him strapped to a tree. He was cruel and thought of me as a trophy and a prize. My name is Talia Zang. May I ask what yours is and your friend the wolf?"

[Summerchika]

Ainutsa stiffened when Talia threw her arms around her, then she softened. "Talia. I am glad we met when we did, for your sake." She smiled and Faolán brushed up against Talia in agreement. "My name is Ainutsa, and my wolf-sister is Faolán." Awkwardly, Ainutsa hugged back, hoping to convey strength and safety. Who knows how long Talia had been captive, and Ainutsa would not let her return to captivity if she could help it.

"Ainutsa," Ciar whispered in her mind. "The men are getting ready for a fight. It seems they will try again in the darkness of the night." Ainutsa nodded in anticipation. The faster they could do this, the better, for both Talia and herself.

"Thank you, Ciar. Keep a careful watch on them, just in case. I'll not be surprised by them if I can help it."

"Tell me, Talia, can you fight?" Ainutsa asked gently. She would need to know all the aspects in order to pull this off successfully and without much bloodshed.